Improvement in switches for electric speaking-telephones



G. M PHELPS. Switches for Electric Speaking-Telephones.

Patented Dec. 2, 1879'.

INVENTOR Gemye. .M, 17 064223, By his .At/drneys I 8 9mm MM \HW WESSES UNITED. STATES P G RGE M. PHELPS, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

, lMPROV EMENTlN SWITCHES FOR ELECTRIC SPEAKING-TELEPHONES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,201, dated December 2, 1879 application filed September 10, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE 1VIAY PHELPs, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for Electric Speaking-Telephones,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to put a telephone positively into or out of the line-circuit by the mere act of removing the telephone from or replacing it in or upon its support, which end I attain in the following manner:

The telephone itselflor an attach nient th ereto suitable for the purpose, is secured in or hung upon a hook or other suitable support, in connection with which support a switoh-lever is employed, having two forks or prongs,

. one moving inside and the other outside of the hook. When the telephone is hung on the hook the lever is pushed back, so that the outside prong comes in contact with the point of the hook. The act of removing the telephone from the hook moves thelever forward,'chan ges the circuit-connections, and switches the telephones into the line-circuit for use. The hanging up of the telephone pushes the lever back, changing the circuit-connections, and switching the telephone out of the line-circuit.

The subject-matter claimed is stated at the end of the specification.

The accompanying drawings show my improvements embodied in the best way now known to me. Obviously, however, the details of form, material, and construction of the apparatus may be varied in various well-known ways without departing from the principle of my invention.

Figure 1 represents aside elevation of the instrument, showing the telephone in place; Fig. 2, a similar View, showing the attitude assumed bylthe apparatus on the removal of the telephone, and Fig. 3 a transverse section on the line 3 30f Fig. 1.

In this particular instance the instrument is represented as adapted for the reception of my Pony Grown telephone, patented August 19, 1879, as No. 218,684.

A hook, B, is mounted on a suitable bracket or support, A. A switch-lever, O, pivoted on this bracket or on the hook-frameps forked at the end next the hook, one, 0, of its prongs being short and straight and working inside the hook. The other, 0, is longer and curved, eX- tending downward beyond the hook.

The switch-lever, in this instance, is shown as rocking on a pivot, to. The switch-lever carries two switch-pieces, D D, which switchpieces constitute, in this instance, contactsprings, working over platesconnected with binding-screws, to which the telephone-wires are connected, as usual, the movement of-the switch-lever throwing them in and out of circuit in a way well understood.

The drawings show the circuit-wires 1 2 3 4 as adapted for the application of a'separate battery or call circuit and a telephone'or speaking circuit, the wires 1 and 3 representing the battery or call circuit, and those numbered 2 and 4 the telephone or speaking circuit. The same battery can, of course, be used both for calling and speaking, as is often done.

The operation of the device. will be readily understood from the foregoing description. When the telephone E is hung on the hook the switch-lever G is pushed backward or inward, so that its outer prong, 0, comes in.oontact with the point of the hook. The act of removing the telephone from the hook moves the lever forward and Outward,'so that the inn'er prong, 0, comes in contact with the front of the hook inside, the movement of the switchlever at the same time correspoiidingly'changing the circuit connection by moving the switch-pieces D D from the wires 1 and 3 to those marked 2 and 4, or, in other words, changing from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to that shown in Fig. 2, thus switching the telephone into the line-circuit for use.

The replacement or hangingup'of the telephone on its hook pushes the switch-lever back to its former position, changing thecircuit-connections accordingly, and switches the telephone out of the line-circuit.

In this instance the relative arrangement of the supporting-hook, switch -le'ver, and telephone-handle is such that while the insertion of the handle throws the telephone out of circuit it is possible to remove it'without throwin g the call-circuit out of connectionor switching in the telephone-circuit. This organization enables the operator to remove the telephone from the book, when desired, without disturb- 3. The improved telephone-switch hereinbefore described, consisting of the combination of the supporting-hook, the pivoted forked switch-lever, its contact-springs, and the circuit-wires, whereby the circuit-changing is positively controlled by the removal from or replacement of the telephone in its support.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

G. M. PHELPS.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. POPE, WM. ARNoUX. 

